Property selling guide

   Here are some tips to help you to decide what steps you need to take to get your property sold quickly and for the best price. With just a little effort and cost, 'presenting' your home to sell can make the difference between selling and not selling. Every seller wants their home to sell as fast as possible and for a great price. With careful planning and knowing how to professionally present your home to prospective purchasers, you will make sure buyers are queuing up to buy your home.    We've all heard of the old tricks of the aroma of fresh baked bread or fresh coffee, flowers everywhere liberally sprayed with scented rose, right through to exiling the kids to the grandparents for the duration!! And these can be good but the following advice will help. Once you've made the decision to sell and asked GoldAcre Estates to market your property...

Distance yourself from your home

· Say to yourself, 'I have to make my ex home as attractive to the new potential owners as possible, more of a Show House than a Home'.

· Mentally decide to 'let go' of your emotions and memories then focus on the fact that soon this house will no longer be yours and you will be in your new home with new dreams.

· Say goodbye to each room, the garden etc.

· Start planning your move - look toward the future, you will always have your memories.

· Picture yourself handing over the keys and waving goodbye to the new owners.

   OK that's done. Now with a bit of work and a little cash here are some tips to help you to decide what steps you need to take to get your property sold quickly and for the best price. Follow this guide and with just a little effort and cost, 'presenting' your home well can make the difference between selling and not selling.

Sanitize

   Pack up those personal photographs, trophies and family heirlooms. Buyers can't see past personal effects, and you don`t want them to be distracted. You want buyers to imagine their own belongings and thinking I could do something with this place, and they can`t do that if yours are there! You don`t want the buyer thinking, 'I would not want to live in this home'. You want buyers to think, 'I can see myself living here.'

Remove clutter

   We all collect an amazing amount of junk, true it may at one time been vital but is it now? Start packing! If you don't need it, why not donate it or throw it away? Put essential items used daily in a small box that can be stored in a closet when not in use. Think of this process as a head-start on the packing you will eventually need to do anyway when your property is sold.

Rent/Borrow storage space

   Don't just move the clutter from one place to another get it out of the house, if you don`t want to spend cash on renting some storage, ask family if you can take over the unused garage. Remove pieces of furniture that block or hamper paths and walkways and put them in storage but leave enough furniture to show the purpose of the room. If a room is empty put a minimum amount of furniture in to show its purpose it helps the new buyer focus and see what space there is with furniture in place.

Tidy closets and cabinets

   Buyers will always want to 'nose' around and will open closets, kitchens and cabinet doors. Think of the message it sends if the contents spill out! Now imagine what a buyer believes about your property and how it could be for them if they see everything organized. It says you probably take good care of the rest of the house as well. This means little things like:

· Align spice jars.

· Neatly stack dishes and pans.

· Arrange cups by size or colour with handles facing the same way.

· Hang shirts together, skirts together etc. facing the same direction.

· Neatly fold clothes in draws that are not bursting full.

· Arrange books on shelves neatly.

Clean the house

   Sounds obvious and you may pride yourself on having a clean home but now you need to make it gleaming. Make a list of what needs to be cleaned in each room and work through the house room by room. Rent or borrow a power washer for the paths, window sills, gates etc. If you smoke a non smoker will notice! If you have pets a non-pet owner will notice. De-Odorize, always spray or make sure the rooms are perfumed before a potential buyer visits. Keep pets away during a buyers visit.

Minor Repairs

   It is impossible to list here all the possible repairs you may need to make, but look at the house through a buyer's eyes! You may put up with a burnt out light bulb but a client will notice it and it makes the room darker. Consider painting dirty or blemished walls a neutral colour. If you fix the little things it makes the house look well cared for and helps immensely in the sale unless they are bargain hunters or somebody who is used to buying a property to do up. Also these small things really help you with obtaining the price you want. If a potential buyer sees a lot of broken things or dirty walls, it will influence the amount they are prepared to offer.

Furnishing

   Choosing your new furniture is a great way to improve your home's looks and make it represent your personality. But, if you are trying to sell or rent it, you should definitely consider other people's tastes as well. A design that is compatible with all tastes is bound to make a residence sell faster. When you are letting there are several things to consider that can simplify the maintenance of a place and prolong the time until any future renovation. For example, you should select furniture and floor materials that are very easy to clean. Try to keep the decorations to a minimum to prevent a lot of dust in the house and go for cushions with removable (thus, washable) covers. What`s more, think about the value of the furniture you buy in the long run. Prefer slightly more expensive pieces of better quality that will last longer than the cheap ones. Different houses have different needs and so do their residents. If you own a villa/bungalow/duplex or townhouse in a place with warm weather it's good to invest in sunbeds and umbrellas. Whereas in cold weather a fireplace is a wiser choice. Also, you should recognize your target buyer or tenant and their needs and equip the house accordingly. You could very much increase the interest of a potential tenant by providing, for example, internet connection, satellite television or an impressive entertainment unit. Furthermore, there are many ways you can save money when you are equipping your home by making it more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly.

First Impressions

   These start as buyers draw up to the house in the car. Mow the lawn, re-hang the letter box, gate etc. Don't wait for the local council to cut the grass patch by the gate or sweep the gutter. Make sure the buyer can read the house number/name clearly; they are more likely to remember it. If the buyer won't get out of the car you have no chance to sell your home!
Finally you are ready for your first viewing.  Now look again at the house. Walk to the front gate and enter the house as a potential buyer would and try to see what they will see.
Now you are ready. A great tip is, when the prospective buyer arrives, SMILE, if you give them a warm welcome then the house will feel just as welcome.
If the property you are selling is empty consider using a property management company to keep the property clean, tend to the garden, check for faults/repairs etc. For a few Euros a week this will give you the best chance for your property to be viewed at its best and a greater chance of a sale. Also ask the property consultant when he/she comes round to value your property the types of things they would recommend to enhance your property.